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Outlook Express Problem

Discussion in 'Computers & Technology Forum' started by Tom Butler, Jan 9, 2009.

  1. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    I've run into a problem I've never encountered before. When using Outlook Express, I can send mail, but cannot receive it.

    However, I can go to my ATT webmail page, and the incoming messages are all there.

    I've tried changing the incoming mail number from 25 to 80 (as one troubleshooting page suggests) but that didn't work either.

    Do any of my geek brothers have a solution for me?
     
  2. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    Check your AT&T webmail page for "Help," or something else that will show settings for Outlook Express.

    Sounds like your incoming mail server settings were changed.
     
  3. ccrobinson

    ccrobinson Active Member

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    You need to check your incoming mail settings in Outlook Express. Find out from your ISP what the incoming mail server is named and make sure it matches up in your Outlook Express configuration.
     
  4. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    I've tried everything, no soap. I've checked settings. I've googled until I'm blue int he face.

    Well, almost everything. One guy suggested fiddling with the registry, but I ain't going there. Also, I haven't re-installed Outlook Express, another recommendation..

    Before I do, I need to know if I could lose the existing e-mails, address book, etc.
     
  5. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    Probably not going to suggest anything you haven't already tried, but here goes:

    In your Account settings, for the Servers, ensure you have the full Account name (i.e., [email protected]).

    If you've recently installed a firewall, or changed any firewall settings, this might be the problem.

    What version of Outlook Express are you using? An older version can "hang" on a corrupted message; updating the program can possibly fix this.

    Other than that, all I can think of is: In Outlook Express, open up the Tools, then Accounts; and delete your account(s). Then re-create them.

    After that, try the registry tweak.
     
  6. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Thanks, Don,

    Upgrading seems to be my best option right now. Maybe that'll do it.
     
  7. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    This happened to me on my previous laptop - could send mail out from Outlook Express but could not receive it. This went on for 2 yrs. (I used my webmail to receive email) and then suddenly, one day when I went to OE to send out some email (I had my groups there), and it downloaded my email and worked fine from then on.

    Guess this is no help.
     
  8. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    I'm also relying on my webmail.

    A couple of questions: are the settings for webmail the same as for OE?

    And where would I find those settings? If I could find the webmail settings, I could compare them with OE's. Or are we talking about apples and oranges, here?
     
  9. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    Two totally different things. Webmail doesn't require settings, just a browser.
     
  10. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    Tom, take a look at this page, and give this a try: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306098

    Before you start, I recommend you upgrade to the latest version of Outlook Express (if you don't already have it).

    Don't worry about messing with the Registry settings; yes, if you get careless and whimsical, you can mess up the Registry settings and cause the computer to do weird things. However, follow the directions in the article, and you won't make any changes that will harm anything.

    At the least, you'll verify that the Registry settings are correct. At worst, you'll find that the Registry settings for Outlook Express are messed up, and we can proceed from there.
     
    #10 Don, Jan 12, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 12, 2009
  11. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Don, thanks. I did the drill, all settings are normal. Same with the registry.

    When I hit send/receive it does not give me an error message, just zips through so fast I can't follow what the dialog box is saying.

    I did get an error message once, which said OE couldn't connect with the mail server.
    But it happened only once.

    My mail server for both outgoing and incoming is mail.bellsouth.net Should they be different. Remember, I can send mail, just can't receive. I'm on a POP3 server.
     
  12. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    This happens to me everyonce in awhile.. I delete my emails on my webmail, and then send myself one, and from then on out it works fine... I have a theory about certain emails hanging up OE, but I can't prove it...
     
  13. Magnetic Poles

    Magnetic Poles New Member

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  14. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    OK, MP, let me ask you about Thunderbird.

    What happens when you download it? Does it replace OE? Any problem with preserving the address book? Anything I need to be aware of before I try it?
     
  15. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    When you install Thunderbird, you will have the choice of using Outlook Express or Thunderbird; it's an additional program, it doesn't "replace" OE.

    It should have an "import" function, where you can import all of your addresses from OE.

    It's a better e-mail program than OE.
     
  16. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Don, thanks. I think I'm going to take the plunge. One further question: will chaniging from OE affect my ATT Webmail, which receives the same e-mails as OE?
     
  17. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Okay, I downloaded Thunderbird, imported Outlook Express stuff, but no iincoming mail since it quit on me two weeks ago. This tells me that the incoming mail server is either not working or my settings are wrong. I'll keep checking.
     
  18. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    Tom, need you to do me a favor: Pull up your mail settings for either Outlook Express or Thunderbird, and do a "print screen" (either by pressing the Prt Sc (Print Screen) button; or on some computers, you hold the Function (Fn) key down while pressing the "Print Screen" button usually found around the top right of the keyboard).

    Then open Paintbrush (click Start, Run, then type in pbrush) or whatever art program you like to use, and paste as a new image (in Paintbrush, click on Edit, Paste).

    Save it as a jpeg file type, please (smaller size); then either insert it into a message here, or you can send it to me via e-mail at [email protected]

    I'm leaning towards something wrong with BellSouth, since both e-mail clients are not receiving e-mail; but I need to verify before I make that final decision.
     
  19. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    Also, in more reading about this subject, if you have an antivirus program scanning your e-mail, you might want to try turning that function off and see what happens. Apparently, a lot of people have had their incoming mail hang up because the scanning function causes the connection with the incoming mail server to time out.
     
  20. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    I do have an anti-virus program scanning e-mail. I'm assuming I can turn that e-mail function off without affecting the virus program's other functions.

    I'll try to send you that jpeg this week.

    Thanks, Don
     
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